Hess is earning a 42.5% working interest in Kofiau, which has best estimate gross unrisked prospective resources of 787 million barrels of oil equivalent.
Niko will retain a 57.5% operating interest in the PSC.
Niko has previously shot 2266 square kilometres of 3D seismic and 1050km of 2D seismic in the PSC, which was awarded in May 2009.
The planned drilling program is part of Niko's Indonesian deepwater drilling campaign that is set to begin in 2012.
